I remember a similar question years ago and I answered that I would buy from anyone who would ship to me and then realized shipping is just another customer service (and so is an up to date website).
So answer this time is customer service is what gets me spending my money there and keeps me coming back :mrgreen:

:lol:....The hugs are just for you Brett....:mrgreen:

For me I think it's a combination of all those things. I don't expect the lowest price but I expect it to be fair, and if it's not I HAVE to go else where(I unfortunately don't have the capital of a doctor or lawyer lol). Customer service along with quality livestock is probably the biggest one for me. I frequent two LFS and the others occasionally. One because I like the people there, yet I don't buy much based purely on price point. On that note their livestock is typically some of the best around and I will buy, if I see something I really want. The other has worked out really well, because the people, price point, dry goods, livestock, and customer service are exceptional. Its tough to find a store that harbors all those characteristics but after finding one I won't be going elsewhere anytime soon

didnt realize it was multiple choice :(

i chose livestock, but i also think customer service is equal.

i can deal with paying a bit more as long as the customer service is good, the livestock is of high quality, and the store is in good condition.

I chose customer service and price. I refuse to accept that if a store in Vancouver can ship it to me (for free) in Central Alberta, the Calgary stores "can't match the price because of extra shipping" and I have NOT found a single store in Calgary that comes close to what I can buy drygoods for "shipping-in" from the coast. As a result, I do probably 90% of my drygoods business online with t5 bulbs and "odds and ends" being the only things I tend to buy locally. I realize most stores will price match, but really when the info is out there for anyone to see online I really shouldn't have to beg.

My other beef with the local stores, is I can buy the EXACT same products from each and every one of them (talking dry-goods here) They all carry the same lines of T5 bulbs, powerheads, T5 reflectors, MH Ballasts, etc. so if I want something different like say an ATI bulb I have to mail order it in. I know there are other considerations when deciding what to stock but I can't figure out the logic because at that point all you are competing on is Price. Anyways, my point here was that variety of products to choose from should be on the list

As far as livestock goes, I don't like ordering online as I've had poor luck in the past and I like to actually see what I'm buying. In the livestock department I'm very happy to see that the local stores diversify and have different things as health of livestock and honest, knowledgeable customer service is extremely important. If I don't feel I can trust the word of the guy selling me the fish/coral I won't buy.

Typically you will always find in the polls of whats most important to a consumer that the top three things will be (in order);

1. Customer Service
2. Selection
3. Price

I am always willing to pay a bit more for better service and the retailer / wholesaler having the products on hand that I want. There are places that I know sell some things that I get on a regular basis for work for less than what I pay.... but I just find that not having to deal with certain people or stores is just not worth saving the few bucks.

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I voted customer service and location. Location, not because of where the store is, but because of where I am. With no LFS to speak of for decent salt supplies, I always order in from the coast now. They've always been very good to my self and other reefers out here in the Kootenays.

x2:mrgreen:

I chose customer service. A store could have the best prices and selection but if the staff are too busy talking about what they did last night instead of giving me a hand then I refuse to shop there. I don't like to / won't beg a store to take my money.

I'll gladly pay a little extra if the service is good.

I will deliberately pay more for any particular item if I feel that the store has invested any customer service value into me.

Nothing frosts me more than a consumer who spends an hour of a person's time getting advice...and then asks the store to match another retailer who doesn't make the same investment. Good advice and employee time is not free!

That's why I'm not a retailer. I would lose my mind if a customer did that to me.